Hello! Here’s what’s in this week’s issue:

» What’s coming for news in 2026

» ‘26 prize season begins

» YouTube is TV

» Can rural newsrooms attract Gen Z?

» California/ Google deal remains stalled

» Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to close

📰 What’s coming for news in 2026

Nieman Lab’s annual predictions for journalism and digital media from industry leaders can get a little overwhelming at the end of the year. They just put together an organized list of predictions cleanly divided into 21 categories including business models, social media, platforms and tech, and three different AI categories. Check it out here

🏆 ‘26 prize season begins

The 2026 Poynter Journalism Prizes are officially open for entries through Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Several prizes carry cash awards, including a newly sponsored Poynter Journalism Prize for Excellence in Climate Change Reporting with a $10,000 prize, and a Distinguished Reporting on Poverty award. Also accepting entries is the LMA’s Local Media Digital Innovation Awards, open until Feb. 14th.

📺 YouTube is TV

This article argues that YouTube is television now and that TV broadcasters can’t ignore it as a core part of how audiences watch video, especially on smart TVs and connected devices. With YouTube accounting for 12–14 % of total US TV viewing in 2025, it should no longer be treated as a dumping ground for repurposed news clips but as a strategic distribution and audience growth platform.

🚜 Can rural newsrooms attract Gen Z?

A new study looks into whether rural newsrooms can attract Gen Z talent and audiences. Results show that young journalists are wary of low pay, limited career paths, isolation and lack of social opportunities in remote communities. Efforts to engage this generation will require rethinking roles, offering meaningful growth and connecting with issues Gen Z cares about to make rural journalism an appealing career choice.

⏸️ California/ Google deal remains stalled

California’s deal with Google for local news funding has failed to launch, hamstrung by state budget fights and what politicians jokingly call “Dolly Parton politics,” meaning political posturing and distractions have derailed the original plan. The result: delayed and reduced support for struggling local news outlets, with lingering unresolved details about how and when money will reach publishers.

💔 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to close

The Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette, one of the oldest newspapers in the US in print since 1786, will publish its final edition and cease operations on May 3, 2026. The announcement came from owner Block Communications, citing decades of financial losses that have made continued publication unsustainable.

Small Press, Big Ideas

A podcast about the business of local news

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS

🌐 First on the podcast this week I had an enlightening conversation with David Gehring, CEO of Distributed Media Lab. Distributed Media Lab is a platform that empowers local publishers to share content, grow revenue, and maintain editorial independence.

In the episode David tells me about his career in journalism and tech, the success that Distributed Media Lab is seeing in California, why Google isn’t necessarily the bad guy that it’s sometimes portrayed as amongst media leaders, and a lot more value for local publishers.

Watch or listen: Apple | Spotify | YouTube

🎙️ Next up I was joined by Michael Phillips, founding editor of The Richmonder, a nonprofit news outlet based in Richmond, VA.

Michael shares his journey from sportswriter to civic watchdog, the challenges of launching a nonprofit newsroom, and how The Richmonder is rekindling local media engagement.

He offers some great takeaways on the value of showing up in the community, the benefits of operating as a nimble startup vs an established corporate organization, and even shares some candid thoughts on the Savannah Bananas.

Watch or listen: Apple | Spotify | YouTube

More Stories

⏩ State policymakers work to bolster local newsrooms

⏩ Could this mysterious California news site influence the 2026 election?

⏩ Oklahoma’s trust in local, state news remains steady in updated survey

⏩ New year, new rules: Jeff Jarvis says local journalism must reinvent itself now

⏩ Can rural newsrooms win over Gen Z?

⏩ Publisher’s Note: Using AI for Images Isn’t a Crime. It’s Local Journalism Keeping Pace.

⏩ Holly Springs Update: One Year of Local News, Built for the Community

⏩ The Slow Death of Local News: Atlanta Becomes The First Major City Without a Daily Newspaper in the United States

⏩ Corey Hutchins’ year in review: The news behind the news in Colorado’s media world in 2025

⏩ Why journalism needs a marketplace model